Car dumping device



Aug. 25, 1931.

W. L. LAING CAR DUMPING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 22. 1929 INVENTOR WILLIAM L LAING ATTORNEYS Aug. 25, 1931. w. L. LAING 01m nuurme nnvzcn Filed Jan. 22. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV'ENTOR WILLIAMLLAING .ATI' ORNEY S I is suitablyj'sup '45 anismshownfin Figure 1;

Patented i5,

Y I WIL IAM L.:LAI1\TG,OF' MoiwrREennUnBEo, oA'NAn i' CAR ":DUMrING nEvrcE Application m d r n r 'aaiaee, Serial no,

IThis' invention relates to new and useful improvements car unloading devices and particularly to such devices in wh ch the car ported and rotated into a positioni at Which-the contents of thecarare unloaded or dumped. c The objects of the invention'are to pro 'vide a'machine Which 'WhGII set to receive or deliver a car will dofsovvithout undue shock on the hoisting or rotating gear, form- 'ing part of the machines; to provide 1mproved means for placing the car in position;

to provide means for clamping the car to the rotating frame before; operating same and meansfor regulating the machine so that it will automatically operate through a predetermined sequenceiof ope rationsju I According to my invention, I provide a car receiving platform which "is removably supported on a suitable foundation, said platform and foundation beingpro'vided with means to accurately centre and locate thetrack carried by the platform with the approach and lead off tracks. The platform'is suspended from a hoisting unit carried by 'a circular frame which' is mountedonrollers and operated by suitable'grotating mechanism. The centreof the-frame is provided with an opening adaptedjto receive the car and means are provided for equalizingthe clamping of-the car against one side of'the said opening; Means are also providedfor regulating the machine so thatit 'wi'll first clamp the car in position .then rotate the frame from normal to dumpingposition-and vice-versa and finallyjlow er, the dumped c'ar, so that maybe quicklydischarged fromthe 'machine." M j x t In the accompanying drawings which show one form of my invention,

j Figure 1 is an. end View 0 car dumping mechanism 1 Figure 2 is a' side elevation 'of the mechf my improved Figure 3 is an end elevatl with; the .car in i t-ion,

on'of the machine a 1 ts raised or dumpmg pos a 'r espectively detail 1 views of the automatic cut out devices for the hoisting and "platform;

junction members 18.

'platform'is taken up direct 334,272,: CanadaiNovemher 10, 1928.1 1 p rocking inovementof 'thelifting V g equalizing a. a a a I Figures'lfand 8 are side and endi'view's respectively "of the vplat for'm centering de-' vices." Referring more particularlyito th c fdraim ings, 11 designates'the foundation of'the ma chine'vvhich isjadaptedt'o support tlie'ends' 12 and 13 of the approach and discharge tracks. Supports 14% are provided in proxe iinity to said endsand are'preferably made, in the form of an .invert'edfV. These supports are adapted to engage WithIcentering beam with safety device operated i "brackets15 secured to theunderside of a car "receiving-platform '16. The brackets 15 have t inverted V1 shaped recesses Which in con with the centering supports 14' are adapted to align thelrails 16a carriediby the platformvviththe rail ends and The platform consistsfof longitudinal girders 17 'adapte'd to supportthe rails ltia and these girders are suitably-braced, together, by i the Secured tothe' underside of irders or members 18. and iniproximity v to each end thereof aretheli'fting'beamsilSa. Y These beams extend transversely ofthe track and extend beyond the girders, Rotatably mounted in the ends of the beams; j arei the, hoistingrope return pull'eys 19. ,Thejshock i 'dueto the moveinent'ofthe car QO-showvn in dotted lines in Figure Qfwheii being vplaced into position on or beingiremoved fromthe i 1y thelfou ilda tion through the supports, The platform is positioned so thatiitprojects outwardly be yond thelends of a tubular housing including circular end frames 206' which rest on rollers 2l rotatably' mounted in suitable bearings carried bythe foundation 11; Theplatform in its normal o'rc'ar receiving and d ischa rg-w i'ng position isclear of theropening QQLinthe inemberj23. V a i Mounted'in' suitable f'rainingmemhers23 securedtothecircular member are theilpulthe g leys or "sheavesjfl The hoisting ropes 25 a i is asectional side elevationofth p advantage in'Figs. 2', 4 and 5.

framing member 23 as indicated at 250:. The other ends of the ropes are secured to hoisting drums 25 rotatably secured to the members 23 and driven through suitable gearing 24a from the motors 250. The arrangement of pulleys is such that when the cables or ropes are wound upon the drums, the platform is lifted from its supports together with the carto bring the upper edge of same tightly against the equalizing beam holding member 26 and bring the sides of thecar against bearing members 22a on the of the opening 22 and away from the hoisting machinery side of the frames 5 To prevent sudden side movement of the platform when being hoisted,- rollers 28 are secured to the sides thereof and these rollers engage with the inclined guide members 29 secured to the side 27. The rollers and guides are so positioned that the platform will gradua'lly'approach the side 27 until the car bears against said side then the hoisting move ment of the platform is in the vertical direction.-- 'Therollers 28 and guides 29 also act as a positioning means for the platform when the empty 'c'aris being lowered. The equalizholding or bearing members are prefer ab y suspended from the rotatin frame so as to permit; of a slight vertical movement. As thecaris'raised 'its'upper edges contact with the equalizing members and raisessame until they come in firm contact with the frame. The vertical movement of the equalizing members actuate" the lever 30 which operate thesv'vit'ch' 31 which cuts off the current to the hoisting motors 25a and directs said current to-the motor 32 which is adapted to operate the rotating mechanism. The-'motor 32 r 0- tates the drums 33'thr0ugh suitable gearing 34. The drums are grooved to receiy e ropes 35 theends36 and 37 of which are secured by adjusting shackles 38 to anchorbrackets 39 'securedto the periphery of' the rotary framef'These brackets are spaced apart'on the periphery so that the rotating frame'may bemov'e'd through an angle of approximately lI BO'd egrees 'or' to thedesired position. A limit switch 40 is provided for controlling the egree'of rotating movement of the frame. Seeuredm the periphery of the frame is an inclined projection 41 which is adapted to contact with a roller 42 secured to the end ofrhelimfipswitch arm 43. p Automaflc cutt out switch mechanism may also be prosiecl to cut off the currentto the hoisting mot-orsto permit correction to the platform level to be made in the event that oaeend of'the platform is raised or lowered inadvance of the other end. One arrangemam-suitable for this purpose is shown to As shown to advantage by these figures, a vertical post 45 is attached to the car hoisting platform by meamsof a bracket 46. Near its upper end, post is'provided with a vertical slot 46a to receive one end of a horizontally disposed lever 47. Lever 47 is pivotally movable in a suitable bearing carried by a motor 27a located at the side of the opening 22 remote from the aforementioned frame 27. The opposite end of lever 47 is provided with an inverted U-shaped portion 48 embracing a roller 49 suitably connected to the movable element of a cutout or limit switch 31a, the arrangement being such that any side motion of lever 47 causes one side of the fork portion 48 to depressthe roller 49 and thereby oper ate the switch 31a. The lower end of the slot 4% communicates with an angularly disposed slot 50. During the platform lifting operation the lever 47 remains inthe vertical slot 46a until the car has been raised to the desired point and is firmly clamped in elevated position. Any tendency to lift the platforn'r beyond this limit causes 'the'levei' 47 to enter the angular slot 5Q and to actuate the switch 31a. In the event that one end of the platform is raised above the otheig'thc upper end of the'post 45 will swing in the direction of the lower end of the platform and in so doing will In the present instance, each equalizing member 26 is shown suspended from the upper portion of one of the frame-members 20b. The suspension means is shown to adactuate the switch 312;.

vantage in Fig. 6 and includes an inverted T member 26a suspended from the frame memher 205. The head of the T member 26a is loosely received between a plate 265 and a pair of angle arms 260 carriedby the equalizing beam 26; Tlhesuspension connection thus provided between theframe member 205 and the equalizing member 26 is such as to permit thetlatter to have the limited vertical movement necessary to operation of the lever and switch the suggested arrangement of the equalizing beams, gears, frames,-and limit switches is largely diametric'al, as it is obvious that the specific designs and mounting of these elements is susceptible to' various modifications within the knowledge of those'skilled'in the art. l

The operation of the car dumping or unloading machine is as follows. The platform' is in its normal position, that solidly on the supportssecuredto the foun dation with the platform rails in alignment with the approachand'lead off rails. In'this position, the hoisting ropes are slackene'd'oif and there is'no The platform is clear of-the rotating frame. The'ca r to be dum ed isthen moved into position on the platform. The hoisting motors are-then set inop'eration and lift the platform and brought into 'frictiona'l contact with members in the frame. platform should be lifted other, the limit-switch 31a bearing Ifone end of the in advance of the in circuit with the In the present instance,

car and inso doing the car is W I m'otoris then brought into play and moves motor is brought into operation to locate the circuit to the hoist motor and this correction may be automatically arranged by providing two limit switches 31a, one for each side and having the switches spring operated so that the switch on one,-the high side, will 7 cut out the motor controlling this side until the other motor has brought the platform level, The car is then hoisted until it is' brought into contact with the equalizing beam members. The beams move upwardly and the car is clamped thereagainst. The upward movement of thebeams operate the hoisting limit switches 31 to cut out thecurrent from the hoisting motors and direct the current towards the rotating motor. This the circular frame through an angle of ap-- proximately 180 degrees so that the material within the car is dumped. This rotative movement is. controlled by the limit switch 40. On completion of the dumping the direction of rotation of the'motor isfreversed and the frame rotatedback to its normal position. The car is then lowered .and in lowering moves clear of the frame and is brought automatically into alignment with the approach and lead ofi tracks through the medium ol'tho V shaped members. The car is then moved from the platform.

The device is simple in operation and the mechanism is protected against any movement which would be detrimental to the working of the machine.

Iclaim: W

1. In a car unloading device, a rotating. frame, rollers for supporting-the frame, a car receiving platform adapted to pass'through and extend beyond each side of the frame, said platform being clear of the frame in its car receiving positionand resting on suitable bearings, means to raise the platform with car thereon to first move it towards the side of the frame and then clamp the top of the i car against the top of the frame, and means 1 to control the level oftheplatform during the hoisting operation.

. raise-the platform with v and clamp sameagainst the side and top of' the frame, means to automatically keep the platform level during the hoisting thereof,

to clampthe car against the side and the top. of the frame, meansfor automatically controlling the level of the platform during its hoisting operation, means for limiting the hoisting movement of the platform with car mounted thereon and means for controlling the maximum height of lift of the empty 7 I platform.

4. In a car unloading device,.a cylindrical frame,-: roller means for supporting same, means for rotating the frame on the rollers,

a platform passing through the frame. and

extending on each side thereof, means independent of the frame for supporting and positioning the platform, anelectrical hoisting unit secured tothe frame and-adapted to means to limit the hoisting movement of the car mounted thereon V platform and car and to direct the current from the hoisting unit to the rotating means, and means to limit the travel'of the platform should same be operated unloaded.

5. A device according to, claim 4 having an approach and lead off track and V shaped centering device secured to the platform and its supports for aligning rails on the plat-.

form with the saidtracks.

In witness whereof, I

my hand. WILLIAML. LAING.

have hereunto set 2; Ina car unloadlng device, a rotating 1 T frame,,rollers for supporting the frameya; A

car receiving platform, carrying tracks for the ear passing through the frame, means v for supporting the car independentof the frame, means for'lifting the platformwith car thereon to clamp the car against one side and the top of the frame, means for limiting the hoisting movement of the loaded plat-1" form, and me-ansto automatically control the f level of. the platform during the' hoisting operation.

3.111 a car unloading device, a rotating 

